


When Pressed

by ConceptaDecency



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Jealousy, M/M, One Night Stands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 12:33:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30089148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConceptaDecency/pseuds/ConceptaDecency
Summary: Julian's been patching up the bite marks on Garak's one-night stands for a while now. And it's FINE. This latest one, though...
Relationships: Elim Garak/Original Male Character(s), Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 34
Kudos: 135
Collections: Don't Press That Button First Line Challenge





	When Pressed

“Whatever you do, don’t press that button.”

Most were polite. Discreet. Quiet. Sheepish, even, some of them, to be in the Infirmary for this particular reason. None of them wanted attention drawn to themselves. That was a near constant.

Except for this one.

The Oorrenite looked up in surprise from the wall console he’d been studying. "What? This?" he asked, and jammed his thumb down on the emergency evacuation alert button.

The siren shrieked to life, and red lights flashed. _alert! alert! please evacuate the infirmary immediately_

"Computer, there is no emergency. Override evacuation alert, authorisation Bashir-yellow-charlie-seven-nine."

 _evacuation alert suspended_ said the computer. The siren faded mid-screech like a sad bird of prey and the lights went back to their usual subdued setting. 

Julian sighed and hit his comm badge. "Bashir to Infirmary staff. False alarm. Please disregard evacuation alert." Then he drew in a calming breath. He was a _doctor_. He had a _good bedside manner_. Imagining the distress to his patients and staff, or the reports he'd have to fill out for Odo and Sisko, would not serve him right now. He let the air out slowly through his nose and turned to the tall, furry man in the examination room. "Now, Mr Scewrik, why don't you take a seat." He patted the bio-bed. "I understand you have a bit of a sore neck."

The Oorrenite, without a word of apology or an expression of contrition, swanned over and settled himself on the bio-bed. "More than a sore neck, Doctor," he grinned, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. "That Cardassian tailor bit me pretty hard. Look." He craned his neck away from Julian and pulled down his shirt collar, and sure enough, two weeping red crescents of blood formed a near-circle in his light brown fur, just where the shoulder met the long, slender neck. 

"Hmmmm, that looks quite painful," said Julian, trying not to think too much about how Scewrik had got the injury. He knew exactly how, actually, but in the interest of professionalism and Julian’s continued happiness, it was better not to think about it. "Are there any more?"

"No, it was a pretty quick fuck. Bit of a shag against the wall and then he threw me out. Didn't even get all our clothes off." Scewrik shrugged, forgetting the injury, and winced. Julian felt a little guilty satisfaction at that, but stuffed it down. "Cardassians, you know?"

"Hmmmm," said Julian, attempting to concentrate all his mental energy on the medical tricorder he was waving over Scewrik’s sore. He did not know, actually. Not first-hand, though he'd seen enough of Garak's handiwork (and that of other Cardassian visitors to the station, but mostly Garak's) on his one-night stands to have a pretty good idea. Biting seemed to be just what Cardassians did in bed, though he'd never had another Cardassian in his Infirmary for such an injury. Only more delicate-skinned bed partners seemed to be prone to actual injury. But the bites on Garak's lovers were usually more numerous and widespread over the body (neck, shoulders, back, even inner thighs sometimes) but less deep. Though given what he already knew of Scewrik and his curious, clumsy fingers after less than five minutes of acquaintanceship, Julian thought he could guess why Garak had felt the need to get the man out of his quarters quickly. "When did it happen?" 

"Ummmm. About...fifteen, twenty minutes past one? Went home with the tailor, what's his name? Karak? Something like that. Anyway, went back to his after the bar closed. Fucked him as soon as we got into his quarters, and he gave me this beauty pretty much straight away.” Scewrik grinned lewdly. “My cock is that good, Doctor.”

"I see,” said Julian, as he pulled the medical tricorder away from Scewrik’s inquisitive fingers and placed it well out of Scewrik’s reach. Julian was fairly certain he'd managed a neutral tone in his answer, and he was keeping his face as blank as possible, too, now, as he applied a mild anaesthetic to the wound. (Garak had given him tips on how to best affect this sort of indifferent neutrality.)

"Maybe I should have fucked him from behind, but they don't really like that, you know. Their holes are kind of on the front. Ah well. He was nice and tight. Really wet, too. You know how they-"

"Mr Scewrik, in my culture it's considered a bit of a taboo to discuss one's sexual encounters so casually with a stranger, so if you wouldn't mind." Julian hoped Scewrik would get the hint. It really irked him, fixing up Garak's paramours week after week, seeing this parade of one-timers go to bed with Garak and emerge the next morning patterned with love bites when Julian had never even been granted a peck on the cheek. Or a nip on the lip. If Garak wasn't interested in someone who actually lived on the station, and actually cared about him and shared his interests, then _fine_. But at least the others were discrete about it. Respectful. This massive mistake (who was currently reaching for the hypospray Julian was deploying into his neck), on the other hand...had Garak really had such in incredible lapse in judgment?

"Oh, of course, Doctor...?"

"Bashir." Julian had snatched the hypospray away as Scewrik’s hand had closed over the handle (he’d been tempted to slap, gently, just a little tap, but had resisted) and was now deploying the dermal regenerator.

"Pleased to know you, Doctor Bashir. Maku Scewrik. Well, anyway, he really was a great fuck, you know. Despite everything. I'd like to do him again before I leave the station. Though he hasn't replied to my messages. He's probably asleep."

"Mr Scewrik, I think you're done here." With considerable relief, Julian switched the dermal regenerator off and placed it on the tray with the rest of the instruments.

"Oh, good." Scewrik stood up. He did not smooth down his rumpled tunic and he did not say thank you. "What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. The Federation doesn't charge for medical attention." Julian ushered the man swiftly towards the exit. He kept a close eye on his hands.

"Is that so?" Scewrik's beady eyes shone. "Maybe I'll be by DS9 again soon, then. Get a bit of hole, get fixed up for free the next morning. Cardassians and their 'enjoyable company', am I right?"

Julian's mind raced back to a moment in the Replimat, several years before. "I'm sorry, 'enjoyable company'?"

*

The door was slow to open, but Garak stood there, alert and impeccable, despite the unexpected call and the late hour. 

“Hello, Garak,” said Julian.

"Doctor! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to my door?"

"Ah.” Out with it. “Well, Garak. I’ve brought you something I thought you might find useful."

"Oh? How thoughtful of you, Doctor. What is it?"

Julian pulled the device from his pocket. "It's a dermal regenerator.” He switched it on to show it was a functional model. “I can’t give it to you exactly, of course. It’s Starfleet property. But it’s an old one that won't be missed in the Infirmary and I thought you might like to keep it in your quarters.”

Garak tilted his head. His gaze swept over the dermal regenerator. "Why, thank you. But why are you giving this to me?"

Good. Julian had hoped he'd ask. "Well, I'd noticed a lot of your guests show up in the Infirmary after they've visited you, and I thought perhaps this could save them the trouble."

Had a flicker of surprise crossed Garak’s face? Or perhaps uncertainty? He couldn’t have expected this, but Julian wasn’t sure. Garak seemed his usual confident self. “I see you've met Mr Scewrik. I do apologise, Doctor. That encounter was...not my greatest moment."

Oh dear. "No, it's not that, Garak. Fixing Mr Scewrik up is part of my job. I just though...did you really find him to be enjoyable company?"

Garak's eyes lit up.

"No. Not particularly. He had a pretty face, but there are many whose company I'd find far more enjoyable." Garak let the sentence lie for a moment, then reached for the dermal regenerator, his hand brushing against Julian's as he took it. "But I'm not sure I'm qualified to use one of these, Doctor."

It was a lie, of course. Aside from being the most resourceful person Julian knew, and well-versed in the use of all sorts of devices, there was a zero percent chance that Garak's professional training hadn't included at least basic first aid. 

"It _is_ best used under the supervision of a doctor."

"Is that so?" Garak's smile was sure now. So he had been a little uncertain, before. The thought that he'd managed to unsettle Garak, even a little, spurred Julian on.

"Yes, although I can still show you how to use it yourself. If you'd like?" Julian took a half step closer and placed his hand over Garak's.

"I'd appreciate that very much, my dear," said Garak, softly. Somehow he'd drawn Julian even closer, without either of them taking a step.

"It's best if you have a patient, though. To practise on. Otherwise I'd just be showing you which buttons to press." 

"Oh my." Garak's arm was around Julian's waist. "A patient. What do you think we should do about that?"

"Mmmmm," said Julian. He was now close enough that he could feel the heat and moisture from Garak's breath on his neck. "I think we can figure something out. Maybe after a little enjoyable company."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [AuroraNova](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuroraNova/pseuds/AuroraNova) for creating and organising the [Don’t Press That Button Challenge](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Dont_Press_That_Button/works)! It's going until the end of April 2021, so I hope more people will participate. 
> 
> Kudos and comments feed a writerly soul! Why not press the kudos button? Or write a comment and then press the comment button? It's fun!


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